Is it possible to have Components in a Master Part (Part Family)

[Kenja824]

We have a bracket that comes in several different ways, so we made it into a master part and created Family Parts from it. Then we had the idea of adding the SHCS and Washers into the master and constrain them to the slots. We were hoping that doing this would make it so when we brought a bracket in as a component, the washers and screws would come in automatically with it.

Unfortunately, when I try to "Create Parts", I get an error in the info window saying... Failed to create family member ks343922s.f01.0010:
Operation is not valid except within the work part. This is repeated for every part it tries to create.

Is this simply impossible or is it something I am doing wrong?

This is NX9, to be clear.

 

[aluminum2]

You should be able to make a part family with an assembly assuming the child components are not driven from the family component (top down). Are you sure adding the hardware was the only change?

 

[Kenja824]

I had the master part for the bracket open. Into that I brought two washers and two Socket Head Cap Screws. It would not let me create Family Parts due to the above error. I tried closing the components and it still did not work. But once I deleted the compoenents out, it had no problem creating the Family Parts.

However, the Washers and the SHCS were all family parts from their own masters (Not this file). Maybe this is what caused the problem? Is that what you mean?

Or, I was wondering if when I tried to created the Family Parts, if I needed to add a column in the spreadsheet to accomodate for the components? I am definitely no pro with Family Parts. Since switching to NX9 I have learned a lot in areas I knew nothing about before. lol

 

[stephlouv]

I've already made family managing other family child as components (sling link). (NX9.0.1.3)
And then, yes, add the corresponding component column to the family table to be able to select the good sling link instance according to the part weight. No problem at all.

"My english is bad ? That's why i'am french."

 

[Kenja824]

I apologize, but I am not understanding what you mean by a sling link.

I have a bracket that is a master family part. It can create 17 different brackets. I want to add a bolt and washer to each of the two slots. However, depending on which bracket it creates, the slots may be in diferent places.

Do I add the bolts and washers as components and just link them somehow?
Is a Sling Link a special way of linking the components to the assembly? Like constraints or something?
Should I have the washers and bolts constrained to the slots at all?

Sorry again. Like I said, I am not very knowledgable with Family parts..... yet.

 

[stephlouv]

No, "sling link" is not an special NX feature/option
Google image it.
It's a weldable steel loop we add to our product for manipulation purpose above 40-50 kg.

Is the slot you speak about is always the same feature but at a different place ?
I mean, is it only "moving" or do you have 2 set of slots you activate or not upon the bracket size ?

"My english is bad ? That's why i'am french."

 

[Kenja824]

There are two slots but they always stay the same size and the same distance apart. They only move and in some cases rotate.

Last night I found we had a Family Part in our library that had a component. I decided to try to look over that and see how it is done. I still continued to get the error that the Operation is not valid except within the work part. Finally, I tried went into the one we have in our library and hit the "Edit Spreadsheet" button and I got the same error on that part. And that one works for us.

Right now, I am thinking there must be some setting I need to change for it to allow me to run family parts with components, or I am just doing something wrong. I am hoping it is not a problem with the NX9 installation.

 

[Kenja824]

Correction...... I dont get the error when I hit "Edit Spreadsheet". I get it when I open the spreadsheet and click on "Create Parts". It acts like it is trying to create the parts, but in the info window it will give me the error over and over, once for each part it tries to create.

 

[Kenja824]

Ok, well I figured out my problem. Likely someone has said it already and I didnt understand what they were saying. lol
It turns out that the washers and bolts I was trying to use were members of their own part family already. I already knew this wasnt allowed, but what I didnt think of was that even if you dont go through the master to pick the member, it is still a member of a part family. I was thinking I could skip going through the family and go right to the actual component member I needed. I wasnt realizing NX still recognized it as a family member.

All I can say is that sometimes ignorance is not bliss.

I appreciate the help. Sorry for ongoing trouble. lol